It's Not About Nutrition

Some recipes are “nice.” Then there are recipes that make your whole kitchen smell like you’ve got your life together. This golden sourdough cheese bread is the second kind. The outside bakes up a deep, toasty brown—almost like it’s wearing a little jacket. Inside, it’s soft and tender with cheese threaded all through the crumb, so every slice feels like it’s been blessed. And the best part? It’s not a fussy, high-maintenance bread that needs special gear or ten different techniques you’ll forget the moment you close the tab. It’s bowl. Scale. Loaf pan. Done. I love a gorgeous free-form …

You know what? Every sourdough baker needs a good focaccia in their back pocket. Not because it’s trendy (though it is having a moment), but because it’s one of those breads that makes your kitchen smell like you’ve got your life together—even if the sink is full of dishes and the dog is barking at the mailman. Sourdough focaccia is simple. It’s flour, water, salt, and olive oil. Maybe herbs. Maybe something a little extra if you’re feeling fancy. The real “work” is waiting, and if you’re baking with sourdough, you already know the waiting game. This bread just happens …

There are some smells that just stop you in your tracks. Coffee brewing. Bacon in a skillet. And cinnamon drifting through the house when the oven’s on. That last one? That’s the kind that makes people wander into the kitchen pretending they just needed a glass of water. Sourdough cinnamon swirl bread has that effect. It’s a little showy, sure, with those pretty ribbons of cinnamon sugar tucked inside, but it’s also comforting in the best possible way. Toast it, add butter, and suddenly the morning feels softer around the edges. And the nicest part? You don’t have to wrestle …

If you’ve ever stood in a bakery line, staring at those big, flour-dusted rolls and thinking, I wish I could make those at home, you’re in good company. Ciabatta has that bakery charm. A little messy. A little dramatic. And somehow always calling your name when you’re already holding a basket and swore you weren’t buying more bread. Here’s the thing, though. Sourdough ciabatta rolls sound fancy, but they’re not fussy. They’re patient. They’re relaxed. And once you get comfortable with sticky dough and a little waiting, they settle right into your baking routine like they’ve always belonged there. Honestly, …

You know that smell when bread is almost done baking? When the kitchen feels warmer and somehow kinder? Now picture that, but with butter and a soft hint of sweetness floating through the air. That’s sourdough brioche, and honestly, it has a way of making a regular morning feel like you planned something special. I used to think brioche was strictly “bakery food.” Pretty, sure, but fussy. The kind of bread that comes with a pastry case price tag and a side of intimidation. Turns out, it’s not nearly as scary as it sounds. A little patience, yes. A little …

There’s something about a baguette that feels… fancy. Maybe it’s the long shape, maybe it’s the way bakeries stack them in tall baskets like they’re showing off. Or maybe it’s just that word — baguette — which sounds like you should say it with your pinky finger slightly raised. But here’s the thing. Baguettes don’t need to be intimidating. Not even the sourdough kind. If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen, hands a little dusty with flour, wondering if you’re in over your head, you’re in good company. Most of us start that way. And honestly, that’s half the fun. …

Big flavor. Big portions. Big “dang, that’s good.” You ever cook something that makes the whole kitchen smell like memories? That’s this casserole. I first had it at a church potluck years ago—back when casseroles were still king and nobody thought twice about cracking three eggs over a pan full of noodles and beef. It came from a gentleman named Bob who wore cowboy boots to the grocery store and claimed this was the only thing he knew how to cook. Let me tell you—if this was his only dish, he didn’t need another. It’s hearty, a little old-school, and …

So here’s the thing—I didn’t grow up with Dutch Letters. We didn’t have them at the grocery store, and I never saw them in the school bake sales. But one summer, years ago, my husband and I drove through Pella, Iowa during their Tulip Festival. You’ve never seen so many flowers, people in wooden shoes… and pastries. That’s where I had my very first Dutch Letter. It was still warm, wrapped in that old-timey wax paper, and the sugar on top stuck to my fingers. Flaky, buttery, and filled with almond paste—not almond extract, but the real stuff. I remember …

You’ll never look at cauliflower the same way again. So here’s the honest truth: I used to make roasted cauliflower purely out of guilt. You know… “Gotta eat more veggies, be a grown-up about it” kind of thing. And it was fine — a little olive oil, some salt, a good roast — totally acceptable. But then I started adding cheese sauce. Not just any cheese sauce — a creamy, garlic-infused, nutmeg-kissed Mornay that wraps every floret in a velvety, savory hug. I’m telling you, once I pulled that bubbly, golden dish out of the oven and caught a whiff …

You know those recipes that somehow sneak their way into every holiday season, no matter how many new things you swear you’re gonna try instead? This is that one for me. Every. Single. Year. It started one December when I was knee-deep in wrapping paper, elbow-deep in peppermint bark, and had exactly zero desire to turn on the oven. I had a box of pudding mix, an unopened Cool Whip in the fridge (leftover from a failed pie attempt), and more candy canes than one family should legally own. And this little pepperminty, creamy, layered miracle was born. Now it’s …